Glass-working apparatus.



A. E. SPINASSE.

GLASS WORKING APPARATUS.

APPLIOATIQN FILED 00T.z1,19o.

Pateltd May g, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l,

Xiwwk l A. E. SPINASSE. GLASS WORKING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED 0GT.Z1,1908.

A. E. SPINASSE.

GLASS WORKING APPARATUS.

APPLIUATION FILED oo'r.21,19o.

.Patented May 18, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNITED-STATES rafrnn'r RTHUR E. SPINASSE, OF MOUNT VERNON, OHIO.ASSIGNOR OlI ONE-FOURTH TO HERBERT C.

' WOOD, OF MOUNT VERNON, OHIO.

GLASS-WORKING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented vMay 18, 1909.

Application filed October 21,1908.- Serial No. 458,858.

To all whom it m ay concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR. E. SPINAssE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Mount Vernon, in the county of Knox and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Glass-l/VorkingApparatus, of which I declare the following to be a full, clear, and'exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in glass furnaces and apparatusfor drawing glass, more particularly with reference to dcvioes for themanufacture of Window glass.

' Among the objects of the invention are to provide improvements in thedelivering of the glass for drawing purposes, also to provide a novelconstruction of tank and hood or cap for properly heating the moltenglass and bringing the same into position for drawing; also to providean improved form of heating arrangement for the tank; also to provideaniniproved form of bait to be used iii connection with the glassdrawing process.

In more specic terins,.the invention coniprises a movable tank forcontaining molten glass, which tank is divided into com artnients andcooperates with an inclosing iood or cap whereby either compartment maybe brought under the hood for melting purposes While the othercompartment is left exposed at one side or theother l'or drawing by theuse ofthe bait. The heat lines are arranged so that the heat isautomatically shifted-into contact with the bottoni oli the ex osed tankby thel movement oi' the tagnk itse f into'such eX )osing position. v I

Vith the above mention \.d objects in view, together With certainotllyer incidental objects hereinafter set forth, these improvementswill now be describied more in detail with particular reference.. tothe. preferred form ofthe embodiment thereof shown in the attacheddrawings forming part of this specification.

Of said drawings Figure 1 represents aseotionalized view of the movabletank and its overlying hood', with the bait apparatus used i' or drawingfrom one or the other of the tank coin artnients. Fig. 2 is across-section on' the ine 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents asectionalized view on the line B--S'o'f Fig. 2, showing the'heat fluearrangement. Fig. v4 represen-ts a horizontal sectional view on` theline 4 4 of Fig. 2, also showing the heat lue arrangement andthearrangement ofthe parltive drawing aperture.

titions forming the heat chambers beneath 5i the tank compartments. Fig.5 represents a vertical sectional view on the line 5--5 of Figs. 2 or-lshowing the du lex outlet Hue. Fig. 6 represents a detail p an ol' theslab which overlies the tank compartments and is formed with the variousdrawing apparatus. Figi. represents a detailed sectional view of Aaportion of this slab showing certain channe s formed therein 'for thedistribution of gas for heating or cooling.V represents a detailedsectional view of the improved forin'of bait. Figs. 9, 10 and 11represent detailed sectional views illustrating the method of use ofthis bait, and Fig. 12 represents another sectional view of the tank andAeither side thereof is a casing 25 which `over- .lies the movable tank.Thiscasing may be provided` with horizontal slabs 2G, such as 90 areshown in detail in Fig. 6, in which slabs are formed apertures 27 ofvarious shapes, through which baits may be inserted for the drawing ofglass from the molten supply in These slabs are shown the movable tank.in Fig. 12 as separate from the rest of the casing, there being certainother iiiipro'vi-, ments which will later be described in conneet-ionwith thesr` drawing apertures. But

for siniiliritys sake the apertures 27 are 90 shown in Fig. 1 asfoi-ined directly in theI overlying casing. There is one, of thesedi'a'wingapeitures 27, or a set thereof as desired, on each side of thehood 2-1, the purpose being to niove the tank laterally so as to bringeach compartment under its iespec- For this purpose the tank 2O ismounted upon an independvont truck 30 whichrolls upon a suitablel trackS1 and is moved by moans ot any Sint- 100 able gear 32 meshing with arack on the underside of the truck, power being connected with this gearand rack by any desired means so as to niovethe tank laterally from oneposition to the other. 4 v

Of course the forni of tank and hood, as welll as the forni of inclosingcasing, andthe moving means for the tank may beyaried Superposed over 75tra to the interior of the hood in a number of ways Wi thout departingfrom the spirit of this invention.

4The interior wall of the hood 2li is formed With projecting shelves 40(Fig. 1) under 5 "which the bridge-wall 21 rides when 'the tank is movedfrom one side to the other. By

means of this constructiomthe heat flow fromthe hood is prevented fromhaving ac 'cess to the surface of the exposed compartment and itsoverlying slab. Furthermorc,

the end walls of the tank are provided with projecting langed ends 4-1which Contact with the lower wall of the hood 24 below the shelf 40, soas to shutoff the heat flow from the hood to the idle drawing aperture.This construction serves to isolatethe one conipartment which is belowthehood outer atmosphere, and tha-,other or drawing compartment, fromthe heat ofthe hirnace within the hoody 6, thus evenly equalizing theplasticity of the mass. Likewise, it will be observed that 'the lengthof the't'ank with reference to the size of the hood is such that whenthe tank is in its central position. un-v ilerseath the hood, theflanged ends .4l of the tank will simultaneously underlie and close lerespective drawing apertures N7 ali-ove ged ends.

' Efije-wall 2]. of the tank is formed gs 472, shown in dotted lines inand so as to permit liow of the freely from one compartment nr ot thetank. The hood 24 and tank 2G may he suitably 35 reinforced at properplaces, as well. known in the art. The upright rods 51 and cross rods 52abovevthe hood serve the double purpose of reinforcing the hood and alsoas a guide for the slides 53 upon which are mounted "the iframescarrying the hait-s 5ft. These frames and baits are connected by a cablethe construction being such that when one of the baits 54 descends forContact with the glass for the drawing operation, the other 455 lbaita-scends with the c lindcr attached thereto in progress of heiligformed.

The molt-en glass is led .into the 'tank 26 hy the following means. Asupply tank 66 (Fig. 2) contains the usual supply ol" molt-en glass, andis adjacent lto the hood 24, being connected therewith by a deliveryspout 61, wh is loosely mounted in the wal-ls of the al ik and the hoodand is accessible un said walls as at 62, shownin Fig. 2, mit rotationoi the delivery spout to i new and huworn portions ol the spout deliveryposition. This delivery spout W to conduct the molten glass from the plytank into the compartments of 1.o movalrle 'tank 20, as will lie readilyunderstood.

vThe heat flues for heating the glass will now be described. The flow ofheat is conducted through the said delivery spout 61 24, so aste comefrom the,v

`in contact with the glass contained in the to the movements ol the tank2() inthe lollowing manner, shown in Figs. 3, 4 and .5. Formed in saidtank 2O andbeneath the bottom. wall of each compartment are heatcompartments 65 andr 66. inletflue arrangement comprising the inletThere is a duplex .flue67'leading into heat chamber 65 and in letflue'lleadinginto chamber 66. At one end ofthe-interior of the hood there is astationary .wall or abutment which so overhes this end ofthe tank that,as shown m .'Fig. 3wlieri the-tank is shifted to its lefthand position,the heat may flow from the hood through the vchannel 67 into the heatchamber 65 underneath the compartment 22 exposed-for the drawingoperation. Likewise when the tank is shifted to its extreme right-handpositionthe 'heat llow will simi- 'larly enter the inlet llue 68 intothe chamber 66 beneath its corresponding compartment 23, which will thenbe eX osed for drawing in such position of the tan r.

There is a duplex outlet liue shown in li`igs il and 5 comprising thechannels or passages 7]. and 72 for conducting away the heat from therespective heat chambers 65 and 66. l/'henI 'the tank is in the lefthandposition the heat flow is through the inlet Lue 67, chamber 65, andoutlet flue 71 into the main outlet :flue 73; Whereas when the tankA isin its other extreme position, the

heat flow w/ill be through the inlet iiue 68,'

chamber 66, and outlet lue 72, as will readily he linde 'stood from theconstruction shown in ,the lig ires referred to. The dividing i 1lbetween the heat chambers 65 and 66 is suitably formed, as shown in Fig. 4, with the fdouble channels leading'into turn 'with sa'io outletlues in a manner that will readily be understoodl'romthe previousi'lescription.

From this construction it will be observed that the heat llow isautomatically controlled solely by the movements of the tank itself forVthe purpose of shifting the heat flow underneath the compartment exposedfor said outlet ilues -71 andY 72, so as to register m lio the drawingoperation. 'lhis automaticallv` cuts oli' the heat from the underside ofthe compartment which is subjected to the heat.,

of the. furnace. The heat 'flows from the inside olf the tank to theoutside through said ilues an thususes up the waste heat on its way tothe main outlet flue. This shifting assists in preventing overheating ofthe glass in the compartment which underlies the hood, and turns theheat underneath the compartment at the drawing station, so that theglass will gradually get .hotter at After this drawing operation theglass cylinder is severed, as will later be refered to then the tan isshifted to the right so as to bring the recently heated compartment 23underneath the other or right-hand drawing aperture 21, and the marredsurface of the compartment 22 is now brought uni'iernoath lthe hood 24to be remelted. The raising of the left-hand bait 54 in the drawingoperation has in the meantime'lowered the righthand b'ait into positionto be used for the drawing Operation on that side.

The independent mounting of the tank upon the truck 30 permits a newtank to be readily substituted on the truck, if desired, so as tointerfere as little as possible with the'working of the furnace. Thisalternate. shifting of the tank always produces a clean surface for eachsucceeding drawingv operel ation, and the molten glass is not forcedfrom one side-to the other, but constantly remains undisturbed, unlessotherwise desired. `l`his aids in producing a iet-ter grade of glass,and prevents loss of residue from one operation to another. Furthermore,this construction'permits the drawing slabs 26 to be close to thesurface ofthe molten glass, which is quite an important feature in thedrawing operation. These drawing slabs are only alternately subjected tothe heat of. the mass and consequently are somewhat cooled betweensucceeding operations.

The heat flow, as before described, is properly confined within the hoodand conducted into the alternate heat chambers in thc manner already setforth, so that this alternate shifting of thel heat from one compartmentof the tank to the other, is effected without the use ol' any damperwhatsoever' and solely by the movement of the tank itself.

The above advantages may be derived by other forms of devices, suchaswill,l produce relative movementbetween the hood and tank to cause thedrawing apertures to overlie different portions of the .tank in turn andto cause this automatic"shifting of the heat flow, and the specific,construction of the tank. and its hood and overlying casing may bechanged in various respects without departing from the` spirit -of thepresent invention. V n

In order -to bring the body or-surface-of the molten or plastic glassclose to the hood.

and the drawing apertures, and prevent access of too much'air on thesurface of the mass, the form of track shown in Fig. l2 is provided. Thetrack is formedwith raised portions 7 5 so that when thc-truck and itstank are moved to either of the extreme lateral ositions for the drawingoperation, thje tanlliD will be elevated to bring the surface of themolten glass close fto the' lhood and to the drawing aperture` The lowerwalls of the hood and inclosing casing are suitably inclined, as shownin Fig., 12, at various places ,to permit of this elevatingtmovement ofthe tank taking place with its lateral shifting movement. Thisconstruction more effectually shuts off the chilling currents of coldair from reaching the surface of the glass in the drawing compartmentand thus benefits the quality of the glass drawn. This likewise permitsthe application of heating gas close to the surface of thevglass for thepuspose of severing at the end of thel drawing operation, as will now bedescribed.

As shown in Fig. l2, the slabs 26and the inclosing casing are suitablyformed with channels for the circulation of gaseous.

fluids, such as hydro-oxygen gas, communicated through a tube 8].

this point where the jet of flame is applied,

and thereby the usual thickness of the wall is reduced to a very small,fraction. This wall may then be broken away from the mass to completethe drawing operation. To assist in this breaking operation, the heatFrom these chan- 'I nels there are ports 82 leading into the draw- T ofthe said Haine may be supplanted by a I current of cold air for thepurpose of chilling the thinned down portion of theI glass cylinderwhich may then be more easily separated The very thin portion of glass'by breaking. then remaining slightly projecting from the, surface of themolten glass in the compartment and forminga slightly marred surface, isthen soon remelted to a smooth .surface when subjected to the heat ofthe.V furnace,

as previously described.

Another form of slab 26 is shown in Fig. 7 i

where the channclsb() are connected with the drawing aperture by acontinuous slit 84 iu place of the various apertures S2. Likewise, thisslab may be formed with channels or passages 85 for the free circulationof any heating or cooling agent, suoli as steam, air, water, te., as thecase may require. This will provide a`-slab of resistance which will notbe liable to break under the effectof eX-- which decreasesteward itslower end, as

shown in Fig. 8. Moreoventhe walls 92 are constructed withfrw'ubstantial.. decrease in thickness toward the lower end 93 ,wherethe periphery of the bait engages the molten O glass. l.

The bait is first lowered soV that its lower periphery is just broughtin contact with theI molten glass, whereupon suction or partial vacuumis produced in the inclosed chamber of the bait so that, as shown inFig. 9.the molten 4glass rises into this chamber within the bait. Theglass is held there for a short while, and then the vacuum is replacedby compressed air, while` the bait gradually asccnds from the moltenmass, these succeed'- ing positions being shown'in Figs. l0 and i1. Avalve and gage may be used by the operator to regulate the proper vacuumand compression for this purpose. -vWhen the column 5 of molten glasslis forced out of the bait chamber back to .itsprevions place byintroducing'- the air compression, a portion of the glass will remainand adhere to the hot wall of the bait, as shown -in Figs. 1.0 and 11,thus 0 forming' a ringl of plastic glass adhering to the inner walls ofthe chamber. The converging walls of the bait assist in retaining thisglass in place during the lifting operation. The thickness of this ringmay be varied and 'increased by holding the; column lon er within thechamber. e rl"hen the return of tghe glass to the rest of the mass, whenthe compression is turned on, will serve to blor the shoulders for thedrawing "of the cylinders and thus prevent the thiniyling down of theglass wall,A as it is blown wider. p

This process is described morc'in detail and is claimed in a separateapplication, VSerial No. 458,961, filed on October 22, 1908 and isdescribed here in order to illustrate the method of use'vof theparticular bait herein described.

The thinning down,I of the walls of the bait, as shown at 93 Fig. 8,results in bringing the lar metal, as v,near as possiblein accordwvithglass and falling from thebait. f

Vllhe'nthe glass ringis contained Within the The cooling or heatingagent circu-l bait, where the sameismade of iron' or sirni.

in Contact with the inner surface of the bait,

but this glass being archshaped will better withstand this outerpressure, andmoreover being confined in this chamber formed by the ftubular` bait is protected so that it is subject to its own conimed heatand cools offgradnf ally without breakage.,

If it is desired to use an auxiliary heating means for the bait, anelectric circuit 100 (see' Fig. 8) may be provided jin which circuit isincluded'a resistance coil 101, surrounding the bait and controlled by aswitch 102 for the purpose of heatingr the coil 101 and thereby heatitgthe inclosed bait. This electric coil may be used if desired Where thedrawing operation extends over a longer period when it might be desiredto maintain the bait heated for a longer time. 1

With reference to the shape of the slab 26 containing thedrawingapertures 27, as

shown in Fig. 12, I wilLnow explain a furtherv feature and advantagewhich arises from the particular construction which I havey devised,shown in Fig. 12. 4,It will be noticed that the under surface of theslab 26 projects downwardly toward the tank as lheretofore referred to,this being reduced by increasin the thickness of the dlab toward itscentra portion. The result of this is to bring the lower mouth of' thedrawing aperture 27 be-v low the normal level of the slab itselfso asthereby to bring this mouth of the tmerture near the surface of theglass upon the` diagonal and lateral movements of the tank.

Various constructions of the slab could be used for the purpose of thussecuring the lowering or depressing of the mouth of the aperturetoward'the tank without departing from the spiritof this invention, itbeing deits sired to make it possible by a construction ofl this nature,to get the mouth of the. drawing aperture close to the surface of theglass. Moreover by. means of this" construction, if there is relativemovement between. the slab and the tank, this .mouth of the drawingaperture can he made to lie just above the surface of the molten glass,no matter What the level of the glass is within the tank compartment'.This downwardprojecting mouth Dof, the aperture can be made more or lesspronou'nce'das desired, to carry outthe purposes mentioned.

Itwill be seen that with such 'downward x projecting mouth the lateraland diagonal movement of the tank along its track, when it reaches theinclined portionv 75 of the track, lifts the'surface of the molten glassinto the desired proximity with the mouth ofv lthefdrawing aperture,which materially as-l s ists in keeping theimolten glass from cooline,and has various other advantages which wil be Well understood in theart. The' iso mouth of the drawine aperture may be brought within thetank as near the surface of the glass as may be necessaryT or desired,notwithstanding the surface of the glass may be variable, high or low,and this will make it possible to withdraw practically all of the moltenglass from the tank.

While the drawings attached hereto show the preferred form of embodimentof these inventions, it voll be understood that various other forms maybe utilized all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.-

Vhat is claimed is as follows:

l.A In a glass furnace, the combination with the tank for molten glass,of a hoodwith drawing apertures adjacent thereto, and means for causingrelative movement .between the tank and the hood whereby to cause thehood and drawing apertures to overlie different portions of' the tank inturn.

.2. In a glass furnace, the combination with the tank for molten glass,said tank being divided into connecting compartments, of a superposedcasing including a hood and f formed with dra-wing apertures to registerwith the diiierent compartments; and means for causing relative movementbetween the tank and the said superaosed casing and hood whereby tocause tne hood to alternately overlie the ditlerent compartments whilethe drawing apertures alternately overlie the unhooded compartments.

3. In a glass furnace, the combination with a hood, of a horizontallymovable tank divided into two compartments and con- Structed to permitmovement laterally to bring either compartment under the hood and theother exposed for drawing.

4. In a. glass furnae, the combination with a hood, of4 a `horizontallymovable tank divided into two compartments and constructed topermitniovement laterally to bring either comparti rent under the hoodand the other exposed for drawing; and a duplex lbait apparatuscooperating therewith, one bait cn each side oi" said hood and saidbaits having supporting connections for lowering one and raising theother.

5. In a glass furnace, the combination with a hood., of a tank dividedby a bridgewall into compartments and movable to eX- pose either desiredcompartment outside the hood while the other remains inside; and saidbridge wall and hood being constructed-to engage and shut off the heatiiow irom..the hood to the-:surface of the exposed compartment.

6. ln a glass furnace, theI combinationi derlies the hood; and said hoodand tank being constructed to cause engagement ofthe bridge-wall withthe interior walls of the hood to shutoff the heat flow from the hood tothe drawing compartment, and also constructed to. cause en agement ofthe outer wall of the tank wit the hood to shut off ing-aperture.

7. In a glass furnace, the combina-tio with a hood, and a casing formedwith drawing apertures on opposite sides of said hood, of a movable tanksituated below the hood and casing, the ends of said tank being formedwith projecting flanges for simultaneously closing their respectivedrawing tion beneath the hood.

8. In a glass furnace, the combination with a hood, and a casing formedwith drawing apertures on opposite sides of said hood,

partments and movable to expose either compartment under its respectivedrawing aperture while the other compartment underlies the hood, andsaid hood and tank being constructed to cause engagement of the,bridge-wall with the interior walls oi the hood to shut oi the heatviiow from the hood to the drawing compartment, and said tank alsoconstructed with projecting flanged. ends to shut oit' the heat flowfrom the hood to the the hood and the other exposed for drawing;` `and atrack for supporting the tank in 1ts lateral movements, said track beingformed with raised portions for elevating the tank at the extremity ofits lateral movement when 5 the drawing position is reached. l

ll. In a glass furnace, the combination with a hood, of a tank dividedby a bridgewall into compartments and movable to eX- hood while theother remains inside; said i bridge-wall and hood being constructed toengage and shut oi the heat iiow from the hood to the surface of theexposed compartment; and a track for supporting said tank the heat flowfrom the hoodtc the idle drawapertures when the tank is in its centralposiof a tank divided by a bridge-wall into coml idle drawing-apertureand also to simultanelll pose either desired compartment outside the inrtf-s movements, said track being formed with raised portions forelevating the tank

